Board game involving the matching of a randomly arrayed group of pieces

ABSTRACT

A PLAYING BOARD FOR HOLDING GAME PIECES IN AN ARRAY. THE PLAYING BOARD PROVIDES EASY AUTOMATIC RANDOMIZING OF THE ARRAY, CLEAR DISPLAY OF SIGNIFICANT ARRAY PATTERNS, EASY INSERTION AND REMOVAL OF PIECES WITHOUT DISTURBING ADJACENT PIECES, AND STABILITY OF POSITIONED PIECES. IT INCLUDES A PLURALITY OF SHALLOW CIRCULAR DEPRESSIONS, WITH CONTIGUOUS DEPRESSIONS HAVING SPECIFIC SEPARATING WALL HEIGHT LIMITATIONS. THE COMBINATION OF A GAME BOARD HAVING A RECTANGULAR ARRAY OF POSITIONS WITH THE CORNER POSITIONS DELETED, AND A PLURALITY OF PIECES SUFFICIENT TO JUST COVER ALL THE POSITIONS, WITH THE PIECES HAVING A PLURALITY OF DIFFERING MARKINGS, AND THE METHOD OF PLAY UTILIZING THE GAME BOARD AND PIECES INVOLVING REPRODUCING CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF ORDER OF THE PIECES IN THE ARRAY BY WITHDRAWING PIECES FROM THE ARRAY AND PLACING THEM ON A CONSTRUCTION SURFACE.

United States Patent 6/1902 Putnam 9/l928 Cahill 9/1960 Preston PrimaryExaminerAnt0n O. Oechsle Attorney-Paul Maleson ABSTRACT: A playing boardfor holding game pieces in an array. The playing board provides easyautomatic randomizing of the array, clear display of significant arraypatterns, easy insertion and removal of pieces without disturbingadjacent pieces, and stability of positioned pieces. It includes aplurality of shallow circular depressions, with contiguous depressionshaving specific separating wall height limitations. The combination of agame board having a rectangular array of positions with the cornerpositions deleted, and a plurality of pieces sufficient to just coverall the positions, with the pieces having a plurality of differingmarkings, and the method of play utilizing the game board and piecesinvolving reproducing certain elements of order of the pieces in thearray by withdrawing pieces from the array and placing them on aconstruction surface.

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ANATOL W. HOLT ATTORNEY PATENTED JUN28l9H $588,112

' sum 3 OF 3 INVENTOR. ANATOL w. HOLT EL $7M ATTORNEY BOARD GAMEINVOLVING TI'IE MATCHING OF A RANDOMLY ARRAYED GROUP OF PIECESBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention One aspect of thisinvention relates to board games. More particularly it relates to boardgames of the class involving the exercise of a high order of skill andthe lack of the element of chance. An aspect of this invention relatesto the physical structure of the surface of the game board. Anotheraspect of the invention lies in the combinatorial relationship of a gameboard having a plurality of positions thereon arranged in certain ways,with a plurality of pieces adapted to placed on the game boardpositions, where the plurality of pieces are marked differently incertain ways. Another aspect of the invention relates to the method ofutilizing the pieces and the game board so as to provide a game orcontest solely of skill, capable of being played by an individualagainst the physical conditions imposed by the plurality of pieces onthe game board or by a plurality of individuals opposing each other. Thestructural elements and the method of using them results in providing anumber of different starting conditions of a very large magnitude. Thestructural elements and the method of using them also permit the game tobe played in a reasonable period of time to a definite conclusion.

2. Descriptionof the Prior Art It is not believed that this game has anyclose relationship in principle with any previously known game. Of thetypes of games with which it may be considered as a competitive boardgame are chess and the Japanese game known as Go. It not only partakeswith these games the general function of being a competitive game ofskill, it has in common with them the existence of a plurality of gamepieces and a board on which these pieces may be positioned, togetherwith a prescribed mode of placing, removing, or moving the pieces withrespect to the board.

The structural elements involved in this invention include, in a verybroad sense, a playing board having a particular array and configurationof positions, and a plurality of pieces, just sufficient to occupy allthe designated positions on the playing surface. To this extent, thegame has these elements in common with a great many other previouslyknown common games, including, in addition to the games mentioned above,such games as checkers, and the game known as Chinese checkers. A broaddescription of the plurality of playing pieces in this game as being ofa plurality of different markings does not distinguish from sets ofplaying pieces in many other games. However, the plurality of piecesprovided as a structural element in the present game have certain broadrequirements in principle as to the distribution of the differentmarkings, and there are preferred distributions. The distinctive markingof pieces to meet the requirements of the principles of the present gameare not believed to be known in prior games.

The diagrammatic arrangement of the playing surface, without regard tothe structural details of the game board playing surface itself (whichis another aspect of this invention) has certain nonarbitraryrestrictions which are not matters of choice, and it is not believedthat playing surfaces having exactly these restrictions have been known,although many arrangements of positions on playing surfaces for gamepieces are of course known. I

Such patents as design U.S. Pat. Nos. 199,849; 191,316; 208,868; 206,811and 198,629, have some measure of pertinence.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One aspect of this invention relates to theconstruction of a game board. In particular, it relates to the structureof the playing surface of the game board. The game board comprises anarray of a plurality of shallow circular depressions. The depressionsare arranged to form a substantially rectangular array with the cornerdepressions omitted. The wall height between contiguous depressionshorizontally and vertically are low, and the wall height betweencontiguous depressions along diagonals are relatively high. This permitseasy automatic randomizing of the game pieces or stones in thedepressions, clear display of significant (nondiagonal) array patterns,easy insertion and removal of pieces without disturbing adjacent pieces,and stability and automatic orderly appearance of pieces on the gameboard.

Another aspect of this invention is the combination of a playing surfacehaving a substantially rectangular array of positions with the cornerpositions omitted and a number of game pieces corresponding to thenumber of positions. The game pieces are divided into a plurality ofclasses. The classes are distinguished by having all members of a givenclass having a common marking, differing from the markings of membersnot in that class. The markings are preferably different colors. Theclasses have different number of members.

Another aspect of the invention lies in the mode of using thecombination of the playing surface and the game pieces. The game piecesare initially randomly distributed to fill all the positions on theplaying surface. Pieces are withdrawn from the game board playingsurface (and not replaced during the course of play) to form groups ofpieces on a construction surface. The groups constructed on theconstruction surface represent groups remaining in the array on the gameboard, according to certain specific general principles ofrepresentation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the gameboard.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1,showing the positioning of a game piece.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a game board with all the game pieces in placethereon.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an embodiment of a game board and cover,partially fragmented.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the game board and cover shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmented, cross-sectional view taken along line7-7 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an embodiment of the game board and cover.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the cover shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the game board of FIG. 8 with game pieces onthe upper surface thereof.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 and 2 best show thestructural aspects of the game board playing surface itself. The gameboard is generally designated 10. The exact embodiment illustrated isdescribed. The game board is square in planar' configuration. In itssimplest form, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the game board 12 issubstantially rigid, has a substantial depth, and is in a horizontalplane. Its surfaces have a generally flat configuration. Itsupper'surface, however is provided with a plurality of shallowdepressions 14. In FIG. 1, only representative ones of these depressionsare numbered. Each depression, in plan view comprises a complete circle.In FIG. 1, it does not appear that these depressions are completecircles; they appear to be distorted where they touch adjacent circles.The limitations relating to the relative placement of these depressions14 explain this showing. The depressions are arranged in a square gridor array having six depressions on a side, except that the four cornerdepressions are omitted. The relative position of the depressions arewithin the following limitations: the circumference of a givendepression intersects the circumference of all depressions adjacentthereto either horizontally or vertically (as viewed in FIG. I, that is,in a row or column respectively). With respect to a diagonally adjacentdepression, the circumference of each depression fails to intersect thecircumference of the diagonally adjacent depression. The circumferencesof the diagonally adjacent depressions may approach but not reach thelimiting condition of having a common tangent at a point of contact. Aless restrictive set of limitations on the relative positioning of thedepressions may also be relied on to obtain much of the same functionalvalue, and is described below after a description of the functionalvalues of the interrelationship.

. A plurality of game pieces, stones, or markers 20 are provided. Thereare 32 depressions and an equal number of game pieces are provided. Thegame pieces are circular in plan view, as shown in FIG. 3. The upper andlower surfaces are convex and the upper surface arc and lower surfaceare intersect at the edges of the game piece, as is best shown in thecross-sectional views of the game pieces 20 in FIGS. 2 and 6. The edgesof the pieces 20 are smoothed or rounded off. Thus, each game piece 20presents a waferlike appearance, with all surfaces curvilinear. The planview diameters of the game pieces are such relative to the diameters ofthe depressions 14 that game pieces lying in adjacent depressions havetheir edges closely approaching but not overlapping the adjacentvertical or horizontal game pieces. The condition of having such pieceswith the edge touching is approached as a limit.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 6, l0, and'll, the depth of the shallow depressions14 are such with respect to the thickness of the game pieces 20 that atleast a portion of the upper surfaces of the game pieces lies above theuppermost surfaces of the game board itself. The contours of thedepressions generally accommodate and receive the contours of the gamepieces.

One of the principles of the mode of using the accommodation of gamepieces and game board involves a stress on locating vertically andhorizontally oriented patterns of pieces and disregarding diagonalpatterns of pieces. It will now be apparent that the game boardstructure as described strongly emphasizes the vertical and horizontallines of pieces and deemphasizes the diagonal arrangements. This is duemore than to merely a natural result of arranging pieces in arectangular array generally as shown. An important contribution to therequired emphasis is the fact that the described limitations result inhaving a higher wall between adjacent pieces on the diagonal and lowerwall" between pieces vertically or horizontally adjacent. Theintersecting circumferences of the depressions necessarily lower thewall of material between the depressions across the region ofintersection, and beyond the region of intersection, the height of thematerial rises to a preferably rounded point, as is clearly shown forexample in FIGS. 2, 6 and 11. These rounded points have several effects.They tend to isolate the diagonally adjacent pieces, which is desirable.They also tend to stabilize the pieces in the depressions.

The above-described functions can also be obtained even if thedepressions do not intersect. This can be accomplished by lowering theheight of the material of the game board between vertically andhorizontally adjacent depressions, and leaving the height of materialhigher between diagonally adjacent depressions. FIG. 4, which issomewhat diagrammatic in showing the array of depressions, neverthelessdoes show an array in which the depressions do not intersect. It isapparent that the surface of such a board can be molded or otherwiseshaped so that the board is highest at the diagonal midpoints ofadjacent depressions. Such an alternative arrangement is not quite aspreferable because the sharp distinction between emphasized verticalsand horizontals and deemphasized diagonals starts to be lost as thecircumferences of adjacent circles are located further apart from eachother. If the diameters of the pieces are made large enough so that whenin such an alternative arrangement of the depressions, the pieces stillapproach a touching condition on their vertical and horizontal lines, itis apparent that their is not as large a nesting" or resting surface inthe depressions with relation to the size of the pieces, and therefore,there is some decrease in stability and orderly and even array.

The structure as described, permits, in addition to thevertical-horizontal emphasis, several other advantages. The principlesof the game require that there be a piece in every depression at thestart of the game and that these pieces be arranged randomly. Inpractice, the pieces are dumped onto the surface of the game board 12and are pushed around, or the game board is shaken. Most of the piecessettle randomly into one or another of the depressions and present anorderly array, emphasizing horizontals and verticals, withoutinterfering with each other. Thus, with a minimum of additional handlingand arrangement, the present structure provides for automaticrandomizing of the pieces and automatic neat ordering of them. A givenpiece may now be removed from the array without disturbing adjacentpieces. The finger of a player can simply be inserted into the arrayalong one of the diagonals and grasp the edge of the piece. If a pieceis to be placed in a given depressions on the board for any reason, itis apparent that it can be so placed without disturbing adjacent pieces.The high points or raised portions lying between adjacent depressionsare designated 16.

FIG. 3 shows a board and game pieces ready for play. The depressions 14are all filled by game pieces 20. The 32 game pieces are divided into lldifferent classes, differentiated by being differently colored. In FIG.3, the pieces belonging to the same class are marked with the sameletter. It is understood that the manner in which the pieces of a givenclass are differentiated from those of another is not of theessence ofthis invention, but that differing colors are a convenient andpreferable means. A pair of cloth or felt pads 30 are provided, as shownin FIG. 3, on opposite sides of the game board 10. The surfaces of thecloth pads 30 are playing surfaces utilized in the play of the game, inaddition to the game board itself. The use of pads 30 is optional. It isapparent that the game board may be rested on any surface havingsufficient area on opposite sides of the board to provide the necessaryplaying area, also called a construction surface, and the pads 30 asillustrated in FIG. 3 may be taken to represent the required additionalplaying area.

An embodiment of the structure including additional refinements is bestunderstood in connection with FIGS. 8-11. The

game board itself is generally designated 70, the cover is generallydesignated 80, and the cover and game board, when assembled in thestored condition is generally designed 200. The game board and covercombination 200 may be generally designated the game package.

The cover is best initially described in connection with FIG. 9. It isrectangular in plan shape and of the same general plan dimensions as thegame board with which it is adapted to coact. The cover 80 has a top 82cand a plurality of depending sides perpendicular thereto, 82a, and 8212.

At each of the corners, a leg 82d is provided. Each leg 82d extendslower than the extent of the remainder of the sides 82a and 82b. Thelegs 82d are provided by simply extending the vertical dimension of thesides at the corners, as is shown by reference to FIGS. 9 and 1 1.

On two opposing sides, 82a, a pair of tabs 84 are provided. One tab 84is provided on each of the opposing sides 82a, approximately centeredalong the length of the side. By reference to FIG. 11, it is seen thatthe tabs 84 extend inwardly from the sides 82a and are positionedsomewhat below the top surface 82:1. The tabs 84 act as detents in thecover's coaction with the game board 70.

The game board 70 is generally rectangular in its plan dimensions. Whenits own recess is closed, as is described below, the board has a heightof a dimension which is minor but substantial compared to the length ofthe board s sides.

The game board 70 comprises a main body portion 73 and a top or playingsurface portion 10''. The top portion 10" is provided with a laterallyextending flange 72. Flange 72a is an extension laterally of the upperplaying surface. Below the flange 72, the top portion 10 has a slightlyreduced lateral dimension permitting it to fit within the open top ofthe main body portion 73. The main body portion 73 is in its generalconfiguration a simple open rectangular box having a flat bottom surfaceand upstanding sidewalls. As best shown in FIG. 4, the upstandingsidewalls are provided with an internal step or seat below the upperedge thereof. The flange 72 has been described as having a downwardlyextending portion of somewhat smaller lateral dimensions and thisdownwardly extending portion is dimensioned to seat on the step providedin the upstanding sides of the main body portion 73. The downwardlyextending extensions of flange 72 is of such a length that when the topportion is placed on and in the main body portion 73, a slightperipheral groove or gap 70 a extends entirely around the game board.This groove lies between the upper edges of the upstanding sidewalls ofthe main body portions 73 and the lower surface of the flange 72.

It is understood that the seat on the upstanding sidewalls of portion73, as described, extends entirely around the game board, and that thedownwardly depending portion of the top game board portion 10" alsoextends entirely around the game board.

In addition, means are provided so that the top portion 10" will be heldfirmly in the main body portion 73 unless deliberately pried off as byinserting a fingernail or coin in the peripheral groove 700. These meansinclude a plurality of tabs 72a on the top portion 10'. A downwardlydepending tab 72a is provided on each side thereof, approximately in themiddle. The location and extent of these tabs 72a is best shown in FIG.11. Each tab 720 is provided with an outwardly extending ridge as shownin FIG. 4. Corresponding positions along the internal surface of theupstanding walls of main body portions 73, slots 73a are provided. Theseslots 73a receive the raised ridge portion on the corresponding tab 72a.Thus, tab 72a acts as a detent and engages the slot 730. This coactingcombination of upper playing surface lit)" and main body portion 73 ofthe game board 70 together provides a game board having a recesstherein. This recess is valuable for storing instructions or otherwritten material. The instructions are thus kept in easy and closerelationship to the game board, without the danger of being lost and yetare kept out of the way of the players unless required. The recess alsoprovides a very convenient form of inclusion of the instructions orother written material during shipment, display, sale, and storage ofthe game.

The coaction of the cover 8ft and the game board 76 is now described.The inwardly extending tabs 84 and the sides 82a of the cover, asdescribed, are positioned so that when the cover is placed over the topof the game board, the tabs 84 enter the peripheral groove or gap 700,and thus have a detent function in holding the cover on the game board.As is shown in FIG. 4, the vertical alignment and spacing of the tabs 84and groove 70a is such that when the tabs enter the grooves, the legs82d extend downwardly below the lower surface of the game board so thatthe entire game package rests on the legs 82d.

In the stored condition, the game pieces, 24) are positioned on the topsurface ofthe playing portions 10'.

The top 82c of the cover 86) is at least somewhat deformable and elasticon the exertion of manual pressure on the center thereof. The symbol Xin FIG. 8 designates the preferred point for exertion of manualpressure. When such pressure is exerted, the top 82d deforms downwardand comes into contact with the upper surfaces of the nearest gamepieces 20. The combined effect of this pressure is to exert a downwardforce on the game board 70 and a slightly flaring action on the sides82a of the cover. This is sufficient to release the game board and thegame pieces from engagement with the cover, and the game board 70 dropsout of the cover so that it is not engaged by the detents on the coverand is not supported by the legs 82d. The playing surface is thus madeaccessible for use. The game board is restored to the stored or closedcondition to form a game package by pressing it into the cover.

Typically, the parts as described can be molded of a plastic such aspolystyrene. The game board and cover may be of square horizontalconfiguration having sides approximately 6 inches in length. Thevertical dimension of the game board 70 is about one-half inch. Thelength of the legs 82d below the Another embodiment of the invention isshown in FIGS. d-

7. The game package is generally designated 100. The cover 50 includes atop 520 and downwardly extending sides 52b and 52c. A peripheral groove2f is provided around the inside surface of the sidewalls of the cover50 near the bottom thereof. Each corner of the cover 50 is provided witha stop 52d. This is a small triangular insertion in each internal uppercorner of the cover and it has a spacing function. In other respects,the cover in this alternate embodiment is like that of the preferredembodiment.

The game board is generally designated 10". Game pieces 20 rest in theshallow recesses provided on the game board's upper surface. As bestshown in FIG. 6, the game board 10' includes a top portion 42 withdownwardly depending sidewalls. The top portion 12 is open at thebottom. Each of the sidewalls of the top portion 42 is provided with aperipheral snap lug 42a at the bottom thereof which extends around theentire game. As best shown in FIG. 7, the lug 42a, which acts as adetent, fits into the peripheral groove 52f in the cover 50. It is seen,particularly from FIGS. 6 and '7 that instead of having specificseparate legs as in the preferred embodiment, the sides 52b and 520 ofthe cover extend downwardly below the groove 42a and thus provide acontinuous leg which holds the game board it) off a generally supportingsurface. It has been found advisable to provide a camming surface 52a inthe cover below the groove 42a to facilitate the reinsertion of the gameboard into the cover.

The element which in one sense corresponds to the main body portion ofthe first-described embodiment is the bottom, generally designated 6%.This bottom 60 includes a body plate member 62a of generally rectangularconfiguration having a plan dimension and shape approximating that ofthe interior surfaces of the depending sidewalls of the top 42. On twoopposed sides, the bottom plate 62 is provided with snap lugs 62a, whichis best shown in FIG. 8, and are outwardly extending ridges orextensions of the bottom plate. The inner surfaces of the walls of thetop &2 are provided with corresponding slots 42b positioned and adaptedso as to receive the snap lugs 42a when the bottom plate 62 is pressedinto place. It has been found that the insertion of the bottom plate 62into the top portion of the game board 10 is facilitated if a slopingcamming surface 42c is provided below the slot 42b. An aperture 62b isprovided in the bottom plate 62 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. This is afinger hold and is used to facilitate the removal of the bottom 60 fromthe, top 42, thus rendering accessible the recess defined between thesetwo elements in the game board it). The plurality of vertical braces 64on the sides of the top 42 also have a spacing function in that theyprevent the bottom 6% from being warped inwardly too far.

When the stones 20 are in their shallow recesses or depressions 44 onthe top surface 42, and the cover 50 is placed over it and pressed downuntil it engages the detents 42a, the as sembly is in the form of a gamepackage as has been designated MN). The stops 52d provide internalbracing and also prevent the cover from being forced accidentally toofar onto the game board so that the detents are overridden. The gameboard is dropped from the cover by pressure exerted approximately at thesymbol X.

It is not intended to patent the rules of play of the different gamesthat may be played with this structure. Such rules are protected underthe copyright laws. However, there are certain principles involving theinterrelationship of the board and the pieces. These principles arecommon to the games which may be played with these elements. Certainaspects of the structure and of the basic principles are so closelyinterrelated that it may be said that particular restrictions in thestructure have no meaning apart from their intended function whichinvolves the principles of their use. Thus, in the absence of theprinciples of their interrelationship, the plan layout of the board,with its corner spaces missing, and the arrangement of the differentclasses of markers would appear to be arbitrary. This is not the case.Therefore, the basic and elementary functional relationship between thestructural elements is described below. It is understood that thisstatement is not a statement of the rules of play of any complete game.The rules involve many other complexities.

The 32 markers 20 are divided into 11 classes, each class beingpreferably differentiated by differences in color. The distribution ofthe stones in the classes is as follows: 8, 7, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, l,l, 1. The game pieces are distributed randomly in the depressions 14 ashas been described. It is understood, that for the reasons describedabove, the physical structure of the game board playing surface hasimportant values in its use. It is also apparent however thatconsidering the theoretical functional interrelationship of thegamepieces and the game board, the principles of the relationship can becarried out with a game board having a diagrammatic layout only; thatis, not having a third dimensional aspect. Play on such a board would beinconvenient and not preferable, but can theoretically be accomplished.

When the pieces are randomly distributed, there are l possible startingcombinations. The areas 3'9 as shown in FIG. 3, constitute constructionsurfaces, whereas the surface of game board is called a game boardplaying surface. All these surfaces together comprise the playingsurface. The depressions 14 may be designated as comprising horizontalrows and vertical columns. By withdrawing pieces 14 from the game board10, and placing them on a construction surface 30, the operationproceeds. By repeated withdrawals of a stone or stones from game boardIll, placing such withdrawn stones on a construction surface 30, a groupof stones is provided on construction surface 30 that meets certainessential criteria. The group of stones constructed on constructionsurface 30 must match a group of stones that can be found in the arrayremaining on the game board 10. The constructed group matches a groupwhich can be found among the stones in the array if the constructedgroup has the same shape and orientation as the group found in thearray, and is constructed entirely of stones that are adjacent (withouta space) to at least one other stone along at least one horizontal orvertical line, that is, in a row or column, (diagonal adjacencies arenot significant), and if the relationship between the classes of piecesin the constructed group (without regard to the absolute class of apiece, but only with regard to its class relative to another piece) isidentical with the relationship of the classes of the pieces in thegroup found in the array on the game board 10.

For example, consider the three top pieces in the lefthand row of FIG.3, which are identified from top to bottom as D, A, F. These are a groupin the array. Each piece in the group is adjacent to at least one otherpiece in a column and each piece is of a different class. A matchinggroup constructed on construction surface must meet the foregoingcriteria. Thus, three pieces, every one of which is adjacent to at leastone other piece, arranged vertically, and consisting of pieces of threedifferent classes, will match. For example, three stones arrangedvertically as described, having the classes respectively B, F, A, willmatch.

A further example, is three consecutive pieces in the bottom row of FIG.3, B, B, L, and the piece above the L, that is, A. A matching groupconstructed on a construction surface would be consecutive horizontallydisposed pieces with a fourth piece above and adjacent to the right-handmember of the group of three. Furthermore, in order to match, theconstructed group must have the first two left-hand pieces of thehorizontal row of the same class, and the remaining two pieces ofclasses differing from each other and from the first two. Thus, a groupof three stones horizontally and one stone vertically as described,consisting of pieces of the classes A, A, H, B respectively meet thecriteria. The term "stone" and game pieces or piece" are usedinterchangeably.

The other essential principle, common to all the games, is that of notonly providing a match between a group of stones in the array and agroup of stones on the construction surface, but of providing what ishere termed an isolated match. That is, a match between a group ofstones on the construction surface, as described, with a group remainingon the game board, with the game board group 'being isolated fromadjacent stones. Isolation for the purposes of this invention is definedas not being adjacent to any other stone either horizontally orvertically. Being adjacent diagonally does not interfere with the stateof isolation. Thus, as an example, considering again the vertical stonesD, A, F, in the left-hand column in FIG. 3, these stones are consideredisolated if the following stones are removed from the game board: thethree stones in the second leftmost column, immediately adjacent thegroup to be isolated, that is, stones identified from top to bottom asA, E, and C, and the bottommost stone in the left-hand column, that is,a stone labeled A. It will be noted that at the lower right, is adiagonally adjacent stone labeled K and at the upper right of the group,there is a diagonally adjacent stone labeled G. However, the presence ofthese stones does not interfere with the isolation.

The reason for the plan layout of the game board, and the distributionof classes can now be be understood.

It is of course desirable in such a game that the play not betrivialized, that the person moving first not always or too easily winor have too great an advantage, and that the play be reasonable inlength. In the preferred arrangement as described above, where personstake individual turns in withdrawing single stones from the board andplacing them on their own construction surface, and where a minimum oftwo stones is required to form a group, (as well as other rules of lessbasic significance being applied), it is found that games have anaverage length of the order of magnitude of 20 minutes to a half hour.It has been found that if a square array is provided with the comerpositions left in the array, the play of the game tends to betrivialized and is much less interesting. The deletion of the cornerlocations greatly enhances the usefulness of the invention for itsintended competitive purpose, as has been determined by repeated tests.The number of different classes and the distribution of the stones inthe classes to provide the most interesting and varied play has largelybeen arrived at by emperical means. However, there are certaintheoretical underlying aspects to the number of classes in thedistribution. Having the number of classes equal one, or having eachstone of a different class are physical limits which result in trivialuses. There should be a plurality of classes, and at least some of theclasses should have numbers of members different from that of otherclasses. There should be a class having a low number of members (as oneand a class having a number of members representing a substantialproportion of the total number of stones (as for example of the order ofmagnitude of 25 percent), and classes having numbers of members betweenthese. The class having the largest number should have at least oneother class having a number of members of the same order of magnitude.Thus, the preferred array includes two large classes having eight andseven members respectively, three small classes having single members,and intermediate classes as follows: two classes of three each and fourclasses of two each. It is preferable that there be more classes havinga lower number of members than classes having a higher number ofmembers. This type of broad distribution, leading to the mostinteresting type of play, has a relationship to general principlesregarding distributions of classes and their memberships. Thus, it hassome points of analogy with the distribution of frequency of use of longand short words in language. The theoretical basis involving suchdistributions have been discussed for example in Human Behavior and thePrinciple of Least Effort" by George K. Zipf, Adis and Wesly Press.Cambridge, 1944.

It has been found that this game is playable, but is progressively lessdesirable as a game, for the reasons discussed above, if the number ofpieces, the number and size of the classes and the size and shape of thegame board playing surface are departed from.

I claim: 7

1. A game board having a playing surface adapted to receive and positiona plurality of game pieces in neatly aligned rows and columns in randomdistribution, emphasizing the contiguity of adjacent pieces along rowsand columns, and minimizing contiguity along diagonals, comprising aplurality of shallow depressions, each said depression having a curvilinear vertical contour and a substantially circular horizontalcontour, said depressions being arranged to form a rectangular array,the game board height between adjacent depressions along columns androws being less than the game board height between adjacent depressionsalong diagonals.

2. A game board as set forth in claim 1 wherein said substantiallyrectangular array has each of the comer depressions omitted and replacedwith a smooth surface having substantially the same height as the heightbetween said depressions along said diagonal.

3. A game board as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rectangular arrayforms a substantially square array having the same number of depressionsalong each side, departing from a square configuration by the deletionof the said corner depressions.

4. A game board as set forth in claim 3 wherein there are 32 saiddepressions, with the spacing between the horizontal centers of saiddepressions being regular and equal along columns and rows.

5. A game board as set forth in claim 1 wherein said depressions are sospaced with respect to all adjacent depressions in columns and rows sothat the circumference of said substantially circular horizontalconfiguration of each said depression intersects the circumference ofsaid substantially circular horizontal configuration of all other saiddepressions adjacent thereto in both a column and a row.

6. A combination of a playing surface and a plurality of game pieces fora game solely of skill, comprising:

a. a square playing surface comprising an array of positions arrangedsubstantially rectangularly and over the whole surface of said squarewith an equal number of positions on each side of said square exceptthat the corner position at each corner of said square is omitted; and

b. a plurality of game pieces, the number of game pieces being equal tothe number of said positions on said playing surface and the size ofsaid pieces being such that any piece can be placed within any saidposition on said playing surface, said pieces being divided into aplurality of classes, said classes being distinguished from each otherby differing markings, all game pieces being members of a given classhaving the same markings, at least some of said classes having adifferent number of member than others of said classes, and each of allsaid game pieces being positioned in a different one of said positionsin a random distribution.

7. A playing surface and a plurality of pieces as set forth in claim 6wherein in said plurality of classes, there is at least one class havinga number of members between the highest number of members in any classand the lowest number of members in any class. 1

8. A playing surface and plurality of pieces as set forth in claim 7wherein at least some of said classes have at least one other class withthe same number of members.

9. A playing surface and a plurality of pieces as set forth in claim 8wherein the class having the greatest number of members has anotherclass havinga number of members of at least the same order of magnitude,the sum of the pieces in the two largest two classes being of the orderof magnitude of one-half of the total number of pieces.

10. A playing surface and plurality of pieces as set forth in claim 9wherein the total number of pieces is 32, the total number of classes11, and the number of pieces comprising the membership of each saidclass are as follows: 8, 7, 3, 3, 2, 2,2,2, 1, 1, l.

11. A method of mutually manipulating a playing surface comprising anarray of positions arranged substantially rectangularly in columns androws and a plain construction surface and a plurality of game pieces,the number of game pieces being equal to the number of said positions,said pieces being divided into a plurality of classes, at least some ofsaid classes having a different number of members than others of saidclasses, comprising;

a. placing a different said game piece in each of said positions on saidplaying surface in a random distribution;

b. withdrawing game pieces serially from said playing surface andplacing them on said construction surface to form a constructed group,said constructed group always meeting the following criteria:

1. all game pieces in said constructed group after the first said gamepiece in said constructed group being adjacent to at least one othergame piece in at least one of a column or row, I

2. the constructed group having a shape and orientation identical withany group of said game pieces remaining in said array on said playingsurface, and

3. the relationship of the classes of the game pieces comprising theconstructed group being identical to the relationship of the classes ofthe pieces comprising the group remaining in the array on the playingsurface.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein an isolated match ismade between said constructed group and said group remaining in saidarray by applying the additional criteria that said group in said arrayis not adjacent any other game piece in a column or row.

13. A combination of a playing surface, a construction surface and aplurality of game pieces for a game solely of skill, comprising:

a. a square playing surface comprising an array of positions arrangedsubstantially rectangularly and over the whole surface of said squarewith an equal number of positions on each side of said square exceptthat the corner position at each corner of said square is omitted;

b. a plurality of game pieces, the number of game pieces being equal tothe number of said positions on said playing surface and the size ofsaid pieces being such that any piece can be placed within any saidposition on said playing surface, said pieces being divided into aplurality of classes, said classes being distinguished from each otherby differing markings, all game pieces being members of a given classhaving the same markings, at least some of said classes having adifferent number of members than others of said classes, and each of allsaid game pieces being positioned in a different one of said positionsin a random distribution; and

c. a construction surface, said construction surface being planar andplain, adjacent said playing surface, to receive and display innonrandom order game pieces removable from said playing surface.

